Sometimes you just need to get away. It’s easy to get swallowed up in to do lists, schedules and your work life, but if you burn the candlestick at both ends, you’ll end up with nothing to hold on to at all.

I went with Lauren, one of my closest friends, to Half Moon Bay last weekend and it was amazing. There were a dozen great things about the day – an almost completely secluded beach, warm sun and sand, delicious sourdough sandwiches from a small cafe in Pescadero, etc. But what I loved was just getting away with a close friend and being. Just being. No worries.

The amazing gate along the trail to Cowell Ranch Beach.

Our first view of the water!

Sandals and sunscreen – absolute necessities for the beach.

What the waves looked like for hours. Beautiful.

…

The next day, I went on a hike at Lake Chabot for a couple of hours. It was amazing how peaceful and beautiful it all was. At first I was a little worried because my phone had no service – I know, it’s not the end of the world  - but not having it readily available to use was nice actually. It forced me to really be present and to truly enjoy the moment.

I don’t think we do that enough. I’ll be the first to admit that I almost always have my cellphone in hand, but maybe it’s time to change that. I’m coming to realize how much I like to feel needed. I guess we all do, in our own ways. I love being accessible to my staff members and friends any time they need me, so I constantly carry my phone with me. Even if I’m not texting anyone or if my phone isn’t ringing though, there’s always that, “Oh, what if someone needs me?” thought that pops in to my head and that has me constantly checking my phone. But, I’m starting to see that it’s ok to be away. The phone calls can wait a few hours. The world will not end. Everything will be ok.

Everything does not have to be right now. The world used to function with carrier pidgeons for correspondence and snail mail, and you know what? It did just fine. People lived.

So, the first step to living a more relaxed life? Put away your phone for a few hours a day. You’ll be happier and you’ll enjoy your day.